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About this blog: I am a perpetually hungry twenty-something journalist, born and raised in Menlo Park and currently working at the Palo Alto Weekly as education and youth staff writer. I graduated from USC with a major in Spanish and a minor in jo... (More)

About this blog: I am a perpetually hungry twenty-something journalist, born and raised in Menlo Park and currently working at the Palo Alto Weekly as education and youth staff writer. I graduated from USC with a major in Spanish and a minor in journalism. Though my first love is journalism, food is a close second. I am constantly on the lookout for new restaurants to try, building an ever-expanding "to eat" list. As a journalist, I'm always trolling news sources and social media websites with an eye for local food news, from restaurant openings and closings to emerging food trends. When I was a teenager growing up in Menlo Park, I always drove up to the city on weekends with the singular purpose of finding a better meal than I could at home. But in the past year or so, the Peninsula's food culture has been totally transformed, with many new restaurants opening and a continuous stream of San Francisco restaurants coming south to open Peninsula outposts. Don't navigate this food boom hungry and alone! Feed me your tips on new chefs and eats and together we'll share them with the broader community. (Hide)

September food and drink goings on

Uploaded: Aug 29, 2014

September is chock full of excellent food and drink events up and down the Peninsula, from the annual Mountain View Art & Wine Festival to a sausage making class at Hidden Villa. Plan your eating and drinking for the month, now:

Mountain View Art & Wine Festival
The 43rd Mountain View Art & Wine Festival descends upon Castro Street Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6 and 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Head to the Wine Haven tent (with that name, how could you not?) between noon and 5 p.m. both days to sample wine from five Santa Cruz Mountain wineries. Pair with cheese samples from the Milk Pail, or, head elsewhere for food from local spots like Big Bites Vietnamese Eatery, Dittmer's Gourmet Meats & Wurst-Haus, Big Ed's Buzzard BBQ, Ñora Cocina Española or Lemoine Crêperie, among many others. If wine isn't your thing, grab a glass of Tied House Café & Microbrewery's special festival brew. There will also be, of course, plenty of art and live music. Info: Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6-7, in downtown Mountain View; mountainview.miramarevents.com

Hatch chile roasting at Mollie Stone's
Hatch chiles  green, spicy and only available for six weeks in August and September  are truly best when roasted, so Mollie Stone's is offering to roast the New Mexico-grown chiles for free after you buy some (from their stores, of course). Head to the Palo Alto grocery store on Sunday, Sept. 14, noon to 4 p.m. to get those once-a-year chiles grilled to maximum flavor.Info: Mollie Stone's, 146 California Ave., Palo Alto; molliestones.com

Silicon Valley Tour de Coop
On Sunday, Sept. 21, go on a free, self-guided bicycle tour of chicken coops, gardens, bee hives, hoop houses and more in a local neighborhood. Participants can choose from tours in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, San Jose and Sunnyvale. The event is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register here: tourdecoop.org

Redwood City Salsa Festival
Who will take home the salsa glory? The 7th Annual Redwood City Salsa Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, will see amateur and professional salsa chefs compete for the No. 1 spot (and big cash prizes), judged by the public. Tastings are open from noon to 5 p.m., though organizers warn to get there early to sample the most popular salsas. Interested competitors have until Aug. 31 to enter. Local restaurants will also offer fare throughout the day; make sure toss it all down with a tequila or beer sample. Info: Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City; redwoodcity.org/events/salsafest

Beginning sausage making class
Learn how to make your own sausage in this Hidden Villa class Sunday, Sept. 28, 4 to 7 p.m. Charcuterie chef Quentin Levy will demonstrate how to make a fresh Italian Chicken sausage with fennel, anise, and spicy pepper flakes; and a cured Sopressa salami with pasture-raised organic pork, tellicherry peppercorns and Utah pink mineral salt. Learn how to pick healthy, sustainable and delicious ingredients to use in your own sausage making, then share sausage specialties from around the world paired with wine. Cost: $65; registration is required. For adults 21 and older. Info: Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos; hiddenvilla.org/programs